Broken Memories
by Whiteweaver
Summary: A new shadow has approached in the strangest of forms and, this time, is aiming for Gabriel. Accompanied by the sudden arrival of a mysterious dancer, the group must get ready for the new challenges and enemies that have risen to meet their defences.
1. Discovery

**Broken Memories  
**By Whiteweaver

Main Pairings: Aera/Loki, Ryouga/Lynn, Orin/Nina, Toumei/Tatiana, Gabriel/...um, I don't think I'll be revealing who just yet ^_^

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Summonknight stuff. If I did, I'd create a kickass weapon and p*wn everyone just for the sake of it.

This is my first story and I'm a pretty terrible writer but please bear with me anyway!

_He was crying. I remember the way his shiny tears dripped onto my face and how much I wanted to reach up to his face and brush them away, to tell him that everything was going to be alright. Unbidden emotions rose up in my mind, churning and twisting painfully into my burdened heart into feelings that I'd rather not remember. Regret. Sorrow. But the most overwhelming of all was the guilt. The relentless panging of guilt that knocked itself against my mind over and over again. The feeling tore at me as I struggled to recall what I had done and how much pain I must have inflicted to have been in an anguish such as this. But I couldn't move. I couldn't do anything. I could only watch him weep sorrowfully as everything slowly turned white. After that, I never saw him again. It was so painful to see someone cry like that and I kept wondering why he was so sad. But I couldn't ask him. I couldn't remember him. I couldn't even remember his name. _

**Chapter 1: Discovery**

Gabriel wiped away the sweat trickling down his face with the back of his hand. In his hands he held the sliced parts of a large log that had fallen across the forest clearing.

'Are you done, Gabriel?' a ray-like machine hovered enquiringly. The wolf-like beast smiled wanly at his mechanical friend.

'Yeah.' He glanced thoughtfully at the pile of logs still waiting to be severed, considering the possibility of continuing. But it was getting dark and the Wind Brigade was expecting him to be back soon, so he tucked the pieces in a bundle under his arm and, slinging a dropped bag of collected fruit over a shoulder, he joined Xeride back to the Wind Fortress.

'Gabriel!'

The creature was met by a young sand-haired boy running joyfully towards him from the gate. Instead of jumping into them like he usually did, since noticing his full arms, he bounded in circles around Gabriel happily. The wolf-beast laughed at Rocky's radiant expression whereas Xeride tried to fix the best disapproving face a droid of his mechanism could possibly have, inwardly concerned that the clumsy youngster would knock the logs out of his companion's hands.

As if to trigger this thought, a girl emerged from the entrance considerably more ceremoniously than her brother, her indigo plaits swinging from her head.

'Be careful!' she warned reproachfully. 'You might make him drop the logs!' In answer, Rocky scowled at her, but took to skipping beside his team mate, bombarding him with questions.

'So did you get the fruit? Was it hard chopping down the logs? Can I come with you next time? I promise I won't get in the way like _she _always says I would. Kara's just jealous since girls can't come along, being weak and all that.'

'Well, excuse me!' his sister retorted haughtily. The albino Maetropan smiled at the two as they argued on the way back to the fortress. Seeing happiness in this way brought relief and joy to him. When he had first found himself on Earth, he was dismayed by the battles, hate and deceit he came across. But then, he discovered the children, leading himself to all sorts of other discoveries, one of which included meeting Aera.

Gabriel's smile widened at the thought of the strange, cheerful girl he met in the Wind Fortress several months ago. It was in finding her that made him realise how much his Wind Brigade needed him there and the joy that could be seen amid the darkness. It was because of this he was still remaining on this dreary world and bore with the troubles, and delight, that came to pass day by day. He felt indebted to her because of that.

'Gabriel?' Xeride's anxious voice broke into his thoughts.

'...Uh, what?' he replied absently.

'You were spacing out, Gabriel.' The robot stated.

'I was?' he questioned, startled. 'Ah, sorry.'

His friend simply nodded understandably before gliding his way towards the young siblings who were waving enthusiastically to him. Gabriel shook himself one last time, before walking over to join the others for lunch.

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A blinding whiteness scarred the emptiness of the forest clearing. Animals and beasts fled from the sudden light, leaving it to shine momentarily in the centre of the tall trees. A moment later, the light evaporated and sank into darkness, leaving behind a crouched figure lying on the grassy floor.

'I-' she whispered faintly. 'I am-.' The words faltered as they left her dry lips before her frail body refused to lift her and she fell, collapsing with exhaustion. At the exact time her body hit the ground, Gabriel had laughed.

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_What am I doing here?_

Loki inwardly groaned with self-sympathy as he trudged after his master with a sword slung lazily over one shoulder. The two had just arrived in the forest from visiting Nina, their violet-haired novice Summoner friend, who had not yet gotten used to living out in the open and was still often found wrapped in her own thoughts in a cave built on the outskirts of the outer forest. Orin, who had offered to come with them, trying unsuccessfully to conceal his anticipation, was still staying with Nina. Loki had been quite eager to go back to the village and have something to eat, until Aera had a sudden impulse to visit the Wind Brigade on the way back home.

The Guardian Beast kicked aside a bush in frustration as he watched the Craftknight's pink hair dance as she practically bounced her way along the path, munching on a ripe berry as they went. Aera glanced at the angry oni, and, noticing his wistful expression, offered,

'Would you like me to pick you a berry too, Loki?'

He glared irritably at her and retorted, 'I can get one myself thanks!'

'I was only offering!' she replied, offended. 'Honestly...'

'Hmf,' he pouted, turning his head to one side. Aera watched his stubborn expression a few moments longer before bursting into undisguised giggles.

'What are you laughing about?!' Loki demanded furiously.

'You look so funny when you're pouting like that!' she answered amusedly.

'P-pouting!?'

'You look comical when you're flustered too!'

'I-I..!' the white haired beast stammered agitatedly, causing his master to laugh even harder. They had reached a forest clearing, the grass slightly dampened by the small shower of rain that had come to pass during their stay in the cave. The trees were clustered with copious amounts of fruit, sending Loki to near-fits of delight as he tumbled into them, reaching out a hand to grab one and stuff it into his eager mouth.

'Loki!' reproached Aera, trying, and failing, to sound reproving.

'What?' he questioned protectively. 'You try listening to the Chief's ramblings for hours without eating and you'll know what it feels like.'

The Edgefencer gave him one last reprimanding look, although she secretly saw that he had a point, before turning away from him. She glanced absently at the gathering of trees, seeing a flicker of colour from the corner of her eyes. Ignoring the noisy sound of food being scoffed into a certain mouth, she stared wonderingly into the trees, searching for the flicker that she had seen earlier, and found it.

Aera walked a few steps towards it, warily taking out a slim, light spear. Loki called out her name questioningly, and, reluctantly glancing at the armful of berries he had gathered, dropped them and followed her. An injured figure could be seen lying, unmoving among the trees, bruises beaten all over her body and raven hair, splayed over her closed face. Aera gasped and immediately sped through the trees towards her. Her unconscious form flinched a little as the concerned girl leaned over her.

'She's hurt,' she stated to her companion urgently.

'I've suffered more bruises than that,' he grumbled.

'We've got to help her, all the same,' Aera shot back.

Sighing grudgingly, he compelled, laying a palm over her arm where the injury seemed to be the worst, allowing a shining blue nimbus to envelop it. The glow continued to flicker for a long time as Loki's brow furrowed in concentration. Sensing a disturbance, his master looked up at him.

'What's wrong?' she questioned worriedly.

'The wounds-won't-heal,' he forced brokenly and eventually gave up, the spell fading from his fingers. Aera inspected the scars, her mind calculating and solving the problems forming in her mind before she exhaled deeply and stood up.

'The Wind Fortress isn't far from here, so you shouldn't have to carry her for too long,' she said thoughtfully.

'W-wha?' he protested profusely. 'Why do I have to-?'

'Come on Loki!' she ordered, already walking abruptly away. 'You don't want to be left behind, right?'

Muttering curses under his breath, he lifted the injured girl to her feet none too gently, and, slinging one arm over his shoulder, he hurriedly hauled her towards Aera before she went out of his sight.

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The droid seemed anxious as he glided towards Gabriel who was chatting animatedly with the children. The wolf-beast took note of this as he looked up enquiringly.

'Gabriel,' his mechanical voice sounded. 'Aera has arrived.'

'Aera?' Gabriel couldn't hide the enthusiasm in his voice. Xeride, however, only watched him apprehensively as he rose and almost ran towards the back entrance where a patient Aera was waiting. Loki could be heard complaining loudly, his thunderous voice echoing in the marble hallway.

'Why did we have to stop by anyway?' he was demanding. A pink-haired girl sighed exasperatedly.

'We haven't seen Gabriel and the Wind Brigade for some time,' she replied, her voice creeping on to the borders of impatience. 'It's pretty good to visit from time to time, don't you think?'

'No,' he snapped bluntly. 'Couldn't we come back after we'd eaten?'

'No, Loki.'

'But-!'

'Aera!' Both companions swung round to see a delighted Gabriel sprint towards them. The Edgefencer had grown since the sword fighter had last seen her, despite the wide, innocent way her juvenile eyes expanded and her childish cheerful composure. His smile widened as he registered her familiar sweet smell.

'Hello, Gabriel,' she grinned, just as happily. 'It's been a while, hasn't it?'

'Yeah,' he agreed. 'How are things going back at the village?'

'Everyone's quite-.'

'Food!'

Loki had burst in between the two, clutching his belly with his face creased painfully as if he was going under some invisible torture.

'Do you have any food?' he groaned. 'I'm dying...'

Aera shot him a rebuking glare which was almost subconsciously ignored by her Guardian Beast. Gabriel only chuckled.

'Actually, Xeride and I just went to gather food from the forest this morning,' he supplied helpfully. 'If you ask Kara where they are stored, you might be able to-.'

The oni child only nodded meekly and sped down the hall to find the droid before Gabriel could say another word, leaving the Swordfighter and the Craft knight to talk on their own.

'Loki hasn't changed much,' he remarked.

'I wish he would,' answered Aera ruefully. Gabriel smiled at her gladly, simply thankful that she could be here, talking with him as she had done all the time before she had defeated Goura.

'You know, Gabriel,' she said. 'I'm happy that I came here. It feels really good to be talking to you again.'

'I-it is?' he stammered, laughing slightly to cover his embarrassment. Aera smiled laughingly at him, unaware of the slow flush that was creeping up the Maetropan's neck. He was in torment in what he was meant to do with himself and was saved when Aera's eyes widened with alarm.

'Oh no!'

Gabriel looked up, startled.

'What is it?' he enquired.

'The girl!' she exclaimed. 'I completely forgot-!'

Without giving an explanation, she sped into the direction of the back entrance, muttering self-curses involving words such as 'idiot' and 'irresponsible' as a confused Gabriel followed closely behind her. Reaching the small bedroom fitted to one corner of the large chamber, she threw the door rather brusquely open to find a quite disgruntled droid hovering dutifully over the bed.

'Ah, Xeride!' she said with surprised relief. 'I'm sorry.'

'It's fine,' he replied with dignity.

'Has she-Is she-?'

'I've dressed her wounds already. Nothing's too serious so there shouldn't be anything to worry about.'

'Thank goodness,' she breathed.

'Aera, what's wrong?' Gabriel put in, now thoroughly baffled by what was going on.

'Looks like I've been apologising a lot lately,' she confessed sheepishly. 'We were just on the way here when we found her and we kinda didn't know what to do so-'

She trailed off guiltily, causing him to draw his eyes to the figure sleeping inside the cotton sheets, the centre of all the fuss. Despite her mature expression, her slight form and size in height informed him that she was quite young and in her teens. Midnight hair spread across the pillow, resting lightly on her slight shoulders and tied back in a very loose knot. Her draping, graceful clothing suggested that she must be some dancer of some sort, although what seemed to be the most noticeable about her was the curious brass bell that hung in colourful ribbons across her forehead, although no sound rang out as she turned her head.

'I think it's best if we take her home,' explained Aera apologetically, void of the horrified way Gabriel stared at the girl. 'Blaire might know what to do and those wounds weren't healing very well.'

'Where did you say you found her?' he asked hoarsely.

'She was in a clearing in the deeper forests where there are lots of fruit trees.' He nodded dumbly, his eyes fixated on the mysterious child in a hidden scepticism and shame. Gabriel clenched his pawed fists in agitation, unbidden thoughts racing in his mind as the information leaked into his brain, surfacing memories that he really didn't want to have to think about. Loki, who had instantly ran over to where Aera had cried out, stood beside the doorway, still holding armfuls of fruit, watched his guilty expression curiously and without comment, although many thoughts raced in his mind as he observed an appearance that he didn't think he'd see from Gabriel in such a short time: loathing.

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Well, there's the first chapter. I hope the next one will be a lot better considering my opinion of this one-which is pretty low. Anyways, please be kind if you are going to review since I'm not the best of writers and I'd like to improve!

Whiteweaver ^^


	2. Awakening

Disclaimer: I don't own Summonknight unfortunately.

I'm really sorry that I'm late with this post! There are times when I have a life as well as writing all the time, so I'll be kinda out of schedule from time to time. Well, here it is!

**Chapter 2: Awakening**

'Gabriel? Are you alright?'

Gabriel blinked and searched for the speaker to see Kara anxiously looking up at him before nodding sheepishly.

'Uh? Yeah.' he replied uneasily.

The same question had been asked several times that afternoon by several different people and his false reply was always the same, concealed by his carefree smile and distracted composure. Xeride watched him apprehensively as his friend carefully avoided the bedroom in the stone chamber as he sorted through the disorganised boxes and files he was clearing away to the study on the other side of the room with Aera working consistently at his side. The robot gave out a droid's equivalent of a sigh, before gliding silently away.

Xeride wasn't the only one that had been watching Gabriel's movements. Loki, who was helping a secretly pleased Rocky look after the Summon Creatures they kept there, had been observing him from a distance ever since he noticed the strange expression on his face when he had seen the scarred girl Aera and he had found in the forest. His gaze wandered to his master involuntarily, taking a reluctant contentment in her smile before he felt a small hand tug at his jet-black shirt.

'Hey, Loki,' reminded an irritated Rocky. 'You're staring.'

'Eh?' he replied blankly, before realizing what he was doing with embarrassment.

'You were staring at Aera, weren't you?' the young boy whispered. Then, added, 'Look, you're blushing!'

'Stupid squirt!' the Guardian Beast hissed, hastily turning away from Aera. 'I most definitely wouldn't want to look at _her!_'

'But you are, you are,' he insisted delightedly, promptly pouncing out of the way as Loki reached out to punch him.

The Craft knight had just dumped the last box on to the already littered workbench with a huge sigh of relief.

'I'm sorry to be taking advantage of you like this,' he apologised, noticing the sweat on her small forehead which she hastily wiped away.

'No, it's fine!' she replied. 'We're friends, aren't we?'

She stepped back to inspect the tidied books and papers arranged on the far side of the room with a pleased expression on her face, unbeknownst, as always, to the contentment peeping gently out of the Maetropan's smile at her words.

'I don't remember the Wind Brigade having so much, though,' she remarked thoughtfully.

'Yeah,' he agreed. 'We've been finding so much Stray Summons lately and, according to Bruno it's not just around this area, but everywhere!'

'That's great!' she smiled.

He returned her grin with an equally glad appearance. Suddenly, realising that they were alone in the study, Gabriel turned his face away from her in the awkward silence as she continued to finger the list of names on the files, his mind in abrupt turmoil in what to do or say in the small room. He frequently glanced at her smiling face and looked away as his brain created many possible scenarios he could create, many of which he would immediately crawl away in a hole for if he ever spoke of them.

He was still wondering when Kara and Rocky entered the room with their cloaks and overcoats covering their small forms.

'We have to go home now, Gabriel,' Kara informed him reluctantly, holding a disgruntled little brother by the shoulders.

'Okay,' he replied.

Then, with heavy disinclination, he turned back to the Edgefencer and added. 'Isn't it time for you to go home too?'

'Thanks for reminding me!' she exclaimed. 'I'm meant to be going home early today!'

Aera quickly shrugged on her bags before picking up her long spear from the corner. With that, smiling gratefully at Gabriel, she ran out of the study, almost sprinting to reach the bedroom while calling for Loki.

'Time to go, Loki!'

'But-! The food...!' he complained.

'Haven't you eaten enough already?' she sighed.

Groaning, he moved forward to lift the injured girl back on to his shoulders when a high-pitched scream resounded painfully in the distance. The pair glanced at each other with alarmed faces before simultaneously reaching for their tools and dashing out of the fortress.

The albino-furred swordsman was reading through the files when the horrifyingly familiar cry pierced the air, his sensitive ears causing him to flick his head sharply towards the sound before his eyes widened in terror.

'That's Kara-,' he realised with growing dread.

Flinging aside the stone door instantly, he sped out of the large chamber, crossing the wide patterned floors of the hall before reaching the outer areas of the Entry Woods outside.

She was huddled with a petrified countenance against a snarled tree trunk, burying herself deeper into the hollow cave twisted into its misshapen base in an attempt to shield herself from whatever was moving towards her. Her younger brother let out a soft whimper as he clutched at Kara's coat with trembling fingers, clustered against the arms clinging protectively around him. Gabriel's sharp eyes darted around the clearing to see what was advancing on the children so vaguely and hideously that it could make his fellow teammate shout out with a shriek so distraughtly.

It was like a shadow, a scrabbling, petrifying shadow rushing in with jerking movements towards them from the ground. Even with the wolf-beast's astute eyes, he could only hazily make out the thin, pointed claws fumbling at the soiled pathway. Yelling out, Gabriel leapt from the stairs to the dusty floor, unsheathing the long, curved blade he kept hidden under his fur-lined cloak, ready to strike out at the enemy.

As soon as his feet touched the earth, the creature halted abruptly, its extended fingers only a few inches away from a terrified Kara's face. Its head twitched to one side before its grotesque head turned fully to face Gabriel. Without warning, it screeched an almost hideously triumphant laugh before groping towards him with an impossibly instant speed. Determined, the Maetropan stood his ground, despite the cries of panic that urged him to abandon the children and escape. A shiver of horror ran in nervous ripples down his spine, watching the beast as it scrabbled closer and closer. The creature was now only a few inches away from him. As Gabriel was starting to lift his sword readily, he found that, to his horror, he was petrified and couldn't move as the creature close in on him, its dark body rearing threateningly. In the brief moment the creature's face was an extremely small distance away from his, he noticed the torn furred ears atop its head and the misshapen paws as it curled hungrily at the side of his cheek before Gabriel shut his eyes tightly, his body tensing to prepare for the strike he knew he was to receive.

A heavy bellow erupted in the air as a bulky sword crashed heavily into the creature and knocked it aside. The whirr of a spinning weapon passed his ears momentarily before Gabriel opened his eyes to find a silver-haired Stray Summon wielding a massive blade in front of him. Loki grinned and winked mischievously before joining his master who was now battling with the malformed shadow.

Their movements were almost simultaneous as they leapt and darted with matching motions to avoid the shadow's attacks. Bursts of fiery light and sparks of metal wove into a well-practiced dance as Aera jabbed swiftly at the opposition before leaping back to allow Loki to draw rings of fire around it. Yet, despite the effective teamwork, their attacks would not make a visible wound on the shadow and it would scrabble away too quickly. However, as the Guardian Beast threw out a bolt of flame, it drew back in fear, despite the fact that the attack hadn't been able to touch it. With a largely visible frustration, it grasped the tree trunks and jumped around the clearing until it was directly behind Aera.

Gabriel, sensing what the enemy was intending, cried out a warning, but it was left to late. As the Craftknight turned with spear ready in hand, the creature was already upon her with its claws reached out ravenously and its distorted figure leaping high into the air. Loki yelled out her name as a paw lifted to strike down-when it halted.

A high, sweet ringing sound broke through the air with its tinkling streams of music. A bell-like chime ran through the Maetropan's ears with a wonderful tone like no other he had ever heard. Yet, the creature screeched as it seemed to inwardly struggle in anguish when it heard the terror-filled whistles that no one else could hear. The twisted face warped with pain, turning with desperate eyes towards Gabriel as it clutched frenziedly at its fur-lined head. Then, with a last frustrated cry, it melted into a pale mist, drifting lifelessly towards the fortress entrance.

A bell shook from a slender hand as the shadow floated inside it, although no other sound chimed from the small circular instrument as it settled back down to its original position. The movement drew the companions' curious eyes towards the slender figure standing at the entrance, a gentle smile touching the corners of her lips as she looked down at them apologetically. Gabriel's eyes widened in astonishment as he recognised the raven-haired girl, the bell lying enclosed in her small hand with its ribbons streaming down in colourful shades from in between her slight fingers. Her eyelids opened in one, slow blink, revealing the violet eyes that hid underneath them. Realizing that so many eyes were observing her, she timidly drew back slightly, one hand rising up towards her mouth apprehensively.

'I'm sorry I slept for so long,' she atoned worriedly.

The one sentence broke the tranquillity in the air as everyone came towards her with questioning, concerned voices, melding together in a dishevelled mixture of tones. Yet, even as he speculated her every shy movement and the anxious approach of his companions, he was still able to read the unspoken question in the atmosphere. Who had rung the bell?

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I apologise for this chapter which I personally think is absoloutely rubbish. Please tell me how to improve it if you have the time please!

Whiteweaver ^^


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